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Hemp is a touchy subject in this country. There’s an incorrect
assumption that hemp and marijuana are the same thing. For the purpose
of discussing hemp from an environmental perspective, let’s clear up
some misinformation right off the bat.
Hemp and marijuana both come from the same species of plant (canabis sativa L.), but as Vote Hemp explains, it’s comparable to the way Chihuahuas and wolves are both members of the canis lupis species. The levels of THC (the substance in marijuana that produces a high) are so minimal in hemp (less than .3%) that it is not effective as a drug. And since the optimum growing conditions for hemp
products would be detrimental to marijuana growth, concerns about
hiding marijuana in hemp fields are unfounded.
So, hemp and marijuana are two different things, and what we’re
discussing here is hemp. Hemp is a popular material for natural food
stores and organic clothing manufacturers, but why?
It takes 800,000 gallons of water to grow an acre of cotton. And, according to Sustainable Spirit,
Almost half of the agricultural chemicals used on US
crops are applied to cotton. Using over 275 million pounds of
pesticides annually (in the U.S), along with fertilizers, growth
regulators and biocides, cotton is one of the world’s most
environmentally destructive crops.
Hemp, on the other hand, can often be grown with just rainwater in a
variety of climates. It doesn’t usually require the use of pesticides
or herbicides, and its root systems actually improve soil quality.
Hemp is used in textile production, and can make remarkably soft and
durable fabrics and fine linens. Hemp can be used as a biofuel source,
to make biodegradable plastics, and in a composite form as a a lighter,
safer substitute to fiberglass.
Hemp oil is a concentrated source of omega-3 fatty acids, that can
be taken without concern for mercury poisoning and other contaminates
found in fish oil.
When hemp is used to make paper, the fibers are longer than the
fibers in wood pulp, allowing hemp paper to be recycled several times
more than wood paper. Hemp fields yield four times the fiber per acre
that tree forests produce, but hemp only takes 6-8 months to reach
maturity.
Hemp production used to be encouraged in the United States. During World War II, the U.S. Government produced a film called Hemp for Victory to encourage farmers to grow as much hemp as possible. Army uniforms, canvas, and rope were made from hemp.
While it’s legal to import hemp products, in 1970, the Controlled
Substance Act made it illegal to cultivate hemp in the United States.
It is technically possible to obtain a special permit to grow hemp in
the U.S., but the cost of the required security measures would make it
impossible to turn a profit from the crop. Canada, the United Kingdom,
and Germany began allowing legal cultivation of industrial hemp in the
1990’s. In 2006, hemp was the most profitable crop for Canadian farmers.
Hopefully, with the growing popularity of hemp as an eco-friendly
material, and the success of the hemp farming industries in Europe and
Canada, the U.S. will again make it legal to cultivate industrial hemp.
Growing industrial hemp in the U.S. could have a major positive impact
on the environment, farming industry, and economy.
This post originally appeared on Allie's (Green) Answers.
The above image is public domain, and courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
